EchiTAb Study Group

The EchiTAb Study Group is an international research consortium and non-profit organization dedicated to the development and clinical evaluation of antivenoms for snakebite envenomation in West Africa. Established as a collaboration between the Nigerian Ministry of Health and UK academic institutions, including the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the group addresses the critical shortage of effective treatments for the saw-scaled viper (Echis ocellatus). Their work has resulted in the successful development and commercialization of EchiTAb-G and EchiTAb-Plus, which are specialized antivenoms produced in partnership with MicroPharm and Instituto Clodomiro Picado. The group manages the entire translational process, from venom research and immunogen design to conducting rigorous clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance. By focusing on regional species-specific venoms, the EchiTAb Study Group ensures high therapeutic efficacy and safety for patients in Nigeria and neighboring countries. Their model of public-private-academic partnership is widely recognized as a successful approach to tackling neglected tropical diseases.